Sunday afternoon, I journey 50 minutes north-west of Tokyo on the Keihin-Tohoku line to Saitama Shintoshin station. Adjacent to that is the Saitama Super Arena. Although 14 years old, it’s still a futuristic-looking multi-purpose venue where the main arena can shrink or enlarge depending on the event. This was the opening weekend of Dreams Come True’s 25th anniversary tour in promotion of their new album Attack25.

The first thing to do was head for the merchandise stalls and stock up. Two hours before show time and I’m already too late, the main tour t-shirt is already sold out! The t-shirt in question comes in many colours, seemingly one colour for each venue DCT are playing. The yellow Saitama t-shirt was sold out on the Saturday, as evidenced by the large number of people wearing them, having gone to yesterday’s show and coming back to today’s too.

Nonetheless I picked up one of the other t-shirts as a souvenir. There is an official brochure of sorts, but it only comes with the purchase of the Attack25 CD from the HMV stall. Luckily I didn’t have the album yet, what with it being released only earlier in the week so I was able to snap one up. The small brochure came with a souvenir folder too.

It may be a cloudy day, but it was still swelteringly hot. I head back to the shopping and restaurant complex to get a few drinks and to leave my backpack in a locker – no point in taking it into the concert venue when I know full well my SLR camera will not be allowed – before going into the Saitama Super Arena.

Although 14 years old, it’s still a futuristic-looking multi-purpose venue where the main arena can shrink or enlarge depending on the event. I got a good seat at the first level, with a great view of the 40m long stage. In the middle of the stage, is where the musicians will be, on a platform that can rise up to the video screens. And at either ends of the stage are motorised platforms that can move towards the centre.

The lights dimmed at 17:30 and we were off. The video screens showed a calendar ticking in reverse and highlights from past DCT concerts, starting from the most recent and going backwards in time. What was noticeable to me was that Takahiro was conspicuously absent in the footage, and that nothing from any of the Wonderland shows was used. The calendar stops at 1989. The stage is lit up as the Miwa and Masa, at opposite ends on the stage with the other musicians in the middle launch into Approach. The first song from the first album. I took this as meaning the show will be heavy on trips down memory lane. This turned out not to be the case

Whilst it was a terrific concert and it’s always great to see Dreams Come True live, I must admit that this gig was a slight disappointment in that the setlist concentrated mainly on the last three albums – pretty much the whole of Attack25 was performed, for which Miwa and Masa changed into the black suits and zorro masks of the cover concept – rather than the classic hits. Yes I know that’s what the Wonderland show are for, but this was supposed to be a 25th anniversary tour. I was so tempted to yell out “PLAY SOME OLD!!!” but thought better of it.

Don’t get me wrong, this still a great show and even though few of the old hits were aired, there was still plenty to enjoy; the backing dancers leading everyone in joining in with Tatakai no Hibuta. Miwa making full use of the 40m stage, frequently running the full length of it. Rin in particular was in fine voice, and the encore saw an unexpected revival of Funk The Peanuts. With Miwa and Rin particularly hamming it up on Koi no Wanashikakemasho. The concert was brought to an end with a fine rendition of Sankyu and with that, two and a half hours had flown by.

I retrieved my backpack from the locker and somehow managed to beat the queue and get a table at a restaurant for dinner. By the time I left, the crowds has dispersed and the trains less packed. I was back in Tokyo just after ten.

This has been the fourth time I’ve seen Dreams Come True live in Japan and who knows if I’ll be able to do this again. Maybe not hearing the old songs this time round is an incentive to return for Wonderland 2015?